Brilliant … But Bouncy

And Now Here’s Your Host…!

With our Alexa “robot,” the Hawkins family often sits around and plays Jeopardy. In fact, it is the only good thing I’ve found about the Alexa bot. I am not a huge fan otherwise.

But we do have fun with Jeopardy. We have gotten pretty good at answering the questions, considering that only Bill is capable of pulling out trivial facts from some recessed part of his brain.

The Alexa game begins just like the TV game begins. Someone introduces Alex Trebek and Alex responds with, “Thanks, Johnny. And welcome players.”

Shane and I were discussing this, because we knew the opening by heart.

“I didn’t realize the announcer’s name was Johnny,” I said.

“Yeah, but I wonder is that his only job? What else does he do?” Shane said.

“I have no idea,” I said. “But I suppose Johnny also runs a camera or keeps the contestants in line or something.”

“Family Feud has the same thing,” Shane said. “He’s like, ‘I’m somebody that you don’t care about. And now here’s your host, Steeeeve Harvey!”

I laughed. “Poor guy. ‘I’m somebody you don’t care about!'”

“I know,” Shane agreed. “Why do they have to have somebody to introduce the host? Why can’t Steve Harvey just walk out?”

“I don’t know,” I said.

“They probably have to pay that guy a lot of money just to say that every night,” Shane said. “It doesn’t seem worth it.”

“True,” I said.

And then, like many things that Shane brings to my attention, I thought and thought about why there’s an announcer for the host, and why the host can’t just walk out. And who is that announcer anyway? Where did they find him? Did he want to be a game show host announcer? Or did he want to be the host and end up playing second fiddle?

Maybe he’s the show’s producer and it’s the equivalent of saying “action” on a movie set. Maybe he’s just some guy with a good voice who stumbled onto the set one day. Maybe he’s actually a voice actor – you know, like the voice of Siri – and he just landed this great gig on a show that lasted 50 years.

And why does it have to be a male voice? Would it be more effective, or the same, if there were a female announcer? And why are all the females on game shows relegated to gesturing at prizes and smiling?

My brain started to get wildly distracted with game show questions. Meanwhile, Shane had gone back to his video game like there was nothing to consider.

Shane always makes me think.